A Qatar Airways aircraft carrying 248 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday night after developing a technical problem while in the air.

The plane, which also had 12 crew members on board, reportedly encountered the fault while flying within Nigerian airspace, prompting the pilot to send a distress signal and request an immediate return to Lagos.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident, saying it activated its emergency response system as soon as the alert was received through its command and control centre in Alausa, Ikeja.

According to the agency, emergency landings are carried out when unexpected faults occur during a flight, and in this case, the aircraft was safely guided by air traffic controllers to land in Lagos.

In a statement signed by LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the agency said multiple emergency units were placed on high alert and deployed to the airport ahead of the aircraft’s arrival to prevent any possible disaster.

Eyewitnesses at the airport described a tense atmosphere as fire trucks, ambulances and other response teams lined the runway while passengers prepared for the unplanned landing.

The aircraft eventually touched down safely, with LASEMA noting that the pilot demonstrated a high level of professionalism in handling the situation. No injuries or casualties were recorded among passengers or crew members.

After landing, the plane was inspected by the pilot and engineers before being moved to the apron for further checks and necessary repairs. LASEMA added that there was no significant damage to the aircraft.

“All passengers were evacuated safely, and recovery operations have been completed,” the agency said, adding that the rescue operation had been formally concluded.

Emergency responders involved in the operation included LASEMA’s Command and Control Centre, the Lagos State Ambulance Service, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority also confirmed the incident. Its spokesperson, Michael Achimugu, described it as an “air return” and said more details would be provided later.

As of the time of filing this report, Qatar Airways had not issued an official statement on the incident.